I Raphel, your husband, imprisoned for the Lord’s sake, wish you my dear wife and sister in the Lord, much grace, mercy and peace, from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the true Father over all kindreds that are in heaven and upon earth; that he would grant you, according to the riches of his goodness, to be strengthened with might by his holy Spirit in the inner man; and that Christ Jesus may dwell in your heart by faith, and be rooted in through love; and that he may abide with you unto the end of your life, to the salvation of your soul. Eph. 3:14. This I send you, my dear sister in the Lord, as a testament and affectionate adieu.
My dear and in God beloved wife, for a sure token of the love which I have had to you, I could not forbear to send you a letter, for I think that the parting is very near at hand. But, my very dear and beloved wife, it is not a writing of divorcement,[342] as Israel wrote a writing of divorcement, for the hardness of their hearts; that I should thus leave you, my love. Oh no! for this leaving is done for the love of God, for the parting must take place for his name’s sake. For, my dearest (always next to God), it is he that joined us together, and it is he that parts us again, which I willingly accept from his hand, for my mind has never been in a better condition in this respect, than it is now, the Lord be thanked. And I now commit you, my dearest, and your child, to the Lord, as to a faithful Father; cleave faithfully to him, this I pray you my dear wife; and he shall, without any doubt, provide for you in soul and body. For Peter says: “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us by his glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises; that by these we might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Pet. 1:3,4. For if we remain entirely faithful to him, so that we keep ourselves unspotted from the world, he will be a faithful Father unto us, who will provide for us, for it is he that giveth food to all flesh, and the eyes of all wait upon him, says David, and he gives them their meat in due season. James 1:27; Ps. 136:25; 124:27.
[342] A play upon words, which obtains only in the original, in which the literal expression used, _parting letter_, has the twofold meaning of farewell letter and bill of divorcement.--_Tr._
Thus, my dear and beloved wife, I now commit you and your child to the Lord, by faith, to confirm the covenant which we made with the Lord, even as Abraham by faith delivered up his son Isaac to the Lord, and Jephtha his daughter, to prove and confirm his promise thereby. Thus I also, out of love, deliver you and my child over to the Lord, hoping and trusting that he will well provide for you, if you remain obedient and faithful to him.
Herewith I bid you, my dear and in God beloved wife, a final adieu, till we see each other in eternal joy; the Lord grant his grace, that this may come to pass. And I greatly and heartily thank you for your faithful, willing, and obedient service and love shown me in all subjection and kindness towards me; and, my love, I thank you (God shall recompense you for it) for your pious and good conversation and walk with me, whereby my heart was often relieved, comforted and rejoiced, which truly causes me yet the more to trust in God, and which is also a sure seal in my heart that we have walked unworthily in the love and fear of God before the Lord, according to our weak ability; and once more I thank you, my dear wife, for all the kindness and friendship shown me, and heartily entreat you by the great love of God, if I have grieved you in anything, or done amiss to you in any wise by word or deed, that you will readily forgive me; this I pray you in this letter, with many tears. I know nothing against you, my love, but what I gladly forgive you; may the Lord forgive us all our sins.